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LEADER JEFFRIES: "EXTREME MAGA REPUBLICANS HAVE NO REAL AGENDA WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING LIFE BETTER FOR EVERYDAY AMERICANS"

February 2, 2023

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held his weekly press conference where he highlighted how House Democrats have stayed committed to securing lower costs, better-paying jobs and safer communities for everyday Americans while House Republicans have done nothing to make life better for the American people.

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Leader Jeffries speaks with examples of harmful rhetoric Republicans have engaged in

JEFFRIES: It was a wonderful Bipartisan Prayer Breakfast today, thankful that the President and Vice President were with us, thankful for the bipartisan spirit in which the Prayer Breakfast was conducted and hopefully, as we move forward in the 118th Congress, we can continue to adopt that spirit of collegiality and cooperation and try to find common ground whenever and wherever possible. House Democrats remain committed to that very thing. 

But we, of course, will also consistently push back against the extreme MAGA Republican agenda whenever and wherever it rears its ugly head, as it is doing once again today on the floor of the House of Representatives. Extreme MAGA Republicans in the House have no real agenda when it comes to making life better for everyday Americans. Their agenda is to cut Social Security, cut Medicare, hold the United States economy hostage and try and impose a 30% national sales tax on everyday Americans, which will dramatically increase costs on 90% of the American people. That is the extreme MAGA Republican agenda. They have no plan. They have no vision. They have no ideas when it comes to making life better for everyday Americans. And that is what today's circus on the floor of the House of Representatives will once again reveal. 

We're still waiting for them to put forward a spending plan so we can debate it. Show us your plan. Instead, they're bringing to the floor of the House of Representatives today a resolution on socialism. To condemn some dictator that we all condemn. But understand, the goal of this phony, fake and fraudulent resolution is just to somehow provide cover for extreme MAGA Republicans to try to undermine an agenda that is designed to lift up the health, safety and well-being of the American people. Why do we know this? Because going all the way back to the days of FDR, through Harry Truman, into President Kennedy, through President Johnson, all the way up until President Clinton and President Obama and President Biden. They call things like Social Security, socialism. Medicare, socialism. Extreme MAGA Republicans have called public education, socialism. Medicaid, socialism. The Affordable Care Act, socialism. The American Rescue Plan, socialism. But the American people should not be fooled by anything that takes place on the floor today with respect to the so-called resolution on socialism. 

The other thing that's going to occur today relates to this effort to remove in a partisan fashion, Representative Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee after House Democrats unanimously voted for Ilhan to continue her service on the Foreign Affairs Committee. A refugee elected to the United States Congress, duly sent back to the House by her constituents in Minnesota. Now, Representative Omar certainly has made mistakes. She has used antisemitic tropes that were clearly and unequivocally condemned by House Democrats when it took place four years ago. 

So, I just want to briefly explore that timeline. February 10, 2019 Representative Omar tweeted, "It's all about the Benjamins, baby." A reference apparently to AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying group that I and many others have worked closely with, and will continue to do so in support of the special relationship between the United States and Israel, a relationship that I strongly support. I support that special relationship today, I support that special relationship tomorrow, I support that special relationship next week, next month, next year and into the future. Because the special relationship between the United States and Israel is rooted in shared values, shared strategic interests and my heartfelt belief that Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state, a homeland for the Jewish people who have suffered 2,000+ years of pain, persecution and pogrom. 

But what's going to take place on the floor today is not a public policy debate. It's not about accountability. It's about political revenge. That is what it's about. Ilhan Omar, on February 10, put out a statement that was immediately, on February 11, condemned unequivocally by the entire House Democratic Leadership, the Speaker, the Majority Leader, the Majority Whip, the House Democratic Caucus Chair, the Vice Chair and the Assistant Speaker. And I'm not going to read the entire statement, but I'll just read the end of it. "Congresswoman Omar's view of antisemitic tropes and prejudicial accusations about Israel supporters is deeply offensive. We condemn these remarks and we call upon Congresswoman Omar to immediately apologize for these hurtful comments. As Democrats and as Americans, the entire Congress must be fully engaged in denouncing and rejecting all forms of hatred, racism, prejudice and discrimination whenever they are encountered." 

That's exactly what we did. And a few days later, the entire House unanimously, with Representative Ilhan Omar voting in the affirmative, condemned antisemitism across the world. There has been accountability. Ilhan Omar has apologized. She has indicated that she'll learn from her mistakes, is working to build bridges because we believe in building bridges, not walls. Building bridges with the Jewish community, including leaders right here in the United States Congress. Is Ilhan Omar perfect? No, none of us are. We've all fallen short in the eyes of the Lord right here in this Capitol. The pastor from Brooklyn Tabernacle said we all need grace and mercy. Ilhan Omar has been held accountable. This is not about accountability. It's about political revenge.

The full press conference can be watched here.